Verity's end of year/end of Junior school celebration night tonight... TRYING to get the kids ready... I give up. Niall is grisley I can't put him down. Wade is just plain ignoring me and attacks the Christmas tree every time I turn my back. I have to make myself look presentable for all of 15 minutes (parents go home after canapes and drinks then collect the girls at 9pm)... I don't mind sprucing up but for such a short time and the stress of getting the boys ready too. They just don't want a bar of it. Even Verity is a tornado through the place at the moment... but I'm giving her space... gritting my teeth when she snaps at Wade. Once again they all have set the house to kid-default-mode: all lights on, all doors open, nearly every cupboard door left open, fridge constantly being opened, TV blaring, toys on floor, clutter on every benchtop... the house was tidy when we all woke up this morning *sigh*. Why can't they close doors? I have done experiments... i've casually walked over to the open back door... silently closed it when i think none of them are looking... snuck back into the kitchen... watched the clock... I swear each time less than 10 minutes passes before one of them comes out and re opens it. Sometimes it's a matter of seconds.. it's like they have this inbuilt sensor of when it's been closed and are being instructed by remote control by aliens that they must open it immendiately... it's done with this kind of senseless regularity. it's the same with dropping things on the floor... arrrrgh!

Nic: I share your frustration. but with me when i can't find stuff it's usually because the kids have moved it. Nothing stays in the one place for very long. Sure you have a laugh when things turn up in unexpected places a year later but it drives you nuts at the time!

Ok... this is me having another go at getting ready.... deep breaths...